Material applicator for rotary printing or duplicating machines



July 9, 1957 E. J. JANKE ETAL 2,793,426

MATERIAL APPLICATOR FOR ROTARY PRINTING 0R DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed July 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet -1 July 9, 1957 E. J. JANKE ET AL MATERIAL APPLICATOR- FOR ROTARY PRINTING OR DUPLICATING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 15, 1.955

3 Mia mm. v 20/ MM am July 9, 1957 E. J. JANKE ETAL MATERIAL APPLICATOR FOR ROTARY PRINTI NG OR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed July 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 fie. I1

INVENTORI tau/A20 J. JAMeE 3p DMAD/QEEWJTER M hm,

MATERIAL APPLICATOR FOR ROTARY PRINTING OR DUPLICATIN G -MACHINES Edward J. Janke, Cleveland, and Donald B. Brewster, Euclid, Ohio, assignors to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application July 15, 1955, Serial No. 522,286

11 Claims. (Cl. 101-147) Planographic printing and duplicating processes generally entail alternate application to the printing plate of an ink repellent and an ink. In such processes it is often desirable to give the printing plate a preliminary treatment by wiping the plate with a suitable solution before beginning the normal printing operations. Frequently the solution used for such preliminary treatment comprises an ink repellent solution which is much stronger than that used during the normal printing operations. This solution is applied after the printing plate has been aflixed to the master cylinder or drum of the printing machine, and in many instances is applied manually or by a manually operated mechanism, such as for instance, that shown in Patent No. 2,443,458, issued June 15, 1948, to our assignee, Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation. T he use of such a mechanism saves time andeliminates contact between the operators hands and the solutions.

The present invention provides an improved mechanism of the general type of that of Patent No. 2,443,458, and which will be constructed and arranged to secure a more uniform and rapid application of the solution than heretofore.

Certain planographic printing operations present conditions where, during normal printing operations, it be comes desirable to apply additional repellent solution to the printing plate independent of the repellent supply which is active during printing operations. Under such conditions it is important that the application, of such additional repellent be uniformly applied to the printing plate and that one application be substantially uniform Other printing operations rewith other applications. quire more or less frequent applications of additional solution as, for instance, where the printing plates are frequently changed. Accordingly, the structure of the present invention is arranged to uniformly coat the printing plate with additional solution and to insure that repeated absorbent member mounted in a liquid carrying trough, I

and with the surface of a master printing plate carried by the master cylinder of a rotary printing or duplicating machine, the transfer device being swingable between the absorbent member and the printing plate surface by a manual operation, and, being so arranged that the same surface area of the transfer device which contacts the liquid supply is presented to the printing plate.

Rotary printingor duplicating machines of the type with which the present applicator is to be used, are generally compact and the exposed area of the printing plate cylinder is generally restricted to such an extent that access to substantially the entire exposed, area is required to aci itate tep a eme tof the master printing plate. In.

it States Patent 0 some uses of the machine as, for instance, when used in connection with the imprinting of certain business forms, frequent changes of the printing plate are required. The applicator of this invention is so arranged and constructed that it may be attached to an existing printing or duplicating machine without appreciable restriction of the ac cess to the exposed area of the master cylinder and at the same time enable the applicator to be mounted for convenient operation and inspection by the operator of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of the improved material applicator attached to a rotary planographic printing: machine, certain parts of the machine being broken away to more clearly illustrate the relationship of the applicator to the printing plate cylinder of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a view of the applicator looking from the right hand of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view as indicated by the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 with certain parts removed to more clearly illustrate a settable stop mechanism to retain the transfer member out of contact with the supply of fountain member;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, the plane of which is indicated by the lines 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section as indicated by the lines 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the parts in a different position;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the transfer member;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the contact area of the transfer member.

Fig. 9 is an elevation as viewed from the right hand side of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view as indicated by the offset lines 1010 on Figs. 5 and 9;

Fig. ll is a sectional detail as indicated by the lines i1-11 on Figs. 5 and 9; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional detail, the plane of which is indicated by the lines 12-12 on. Fig. 10.

In Fig. l the applicator is shown as being attached to a rotary printing or duplicating machine having a pair of spaced upstanding side frame members, one of which is indicated at 15, and between which'the printing or duplicating mechanism is mounted. As such machines are well known at the present time only a portion thereof has been illustrated, and that, more or less diagrammatic. As illustrated, the machine includes a shaft 16 extending between and journaled .in the frame members 15 and having a master printing plate cylinder 17 mounted for rotation about its axis. A printing plate 18 of the planographic type is removably mounted on the periphery of the cylinder 17, with its ends entering a gap therein and being secured thereto by any well known means (not illustrated). A portion of the usual repellent applicator is diagrammatically indicated at 20 and a portion of an ink applicator at 21. Each applicator may include a suitable form roller 22 which contacts the surface of the printing plate as the cylinder 17 is rotated in the direction of the arrow of Fig. l, to supply the plate first with liquid ink repellent and then with ink. The ink repellent serves to coat the non-image bearing areas of the printing plate and cause them to reject ink which is later applied to the plate by the ink applicator 21, thus the ink adheres only to the image bearing portion of the plate. The inked image is then transferred to a transfer or offset cylinder, a portion of which is indi cated in Fig. l at 23, and from such offset cylinder to a work sheet in the usual manner.

The improved applicatorincludes a frame comprising a pair of side plates 30 and 31 which are secured together and spaced by cross frame members such as for instance the rod 32. The frame plates are arranged to be secured to the side frame members of the printing or duplicating machine, as, for instance by bolts, one of which is indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 at 33. A supply of liquid repellent is carried in an elongated spongelike absorbent member 35 which is mounted in a trough like receptacle 36 removably supported between the upper ends of the side plates and 31 above the cylinder 17. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, the side plates 30 and 31 are each provided with a vertically extending open-ended slot 37 to receive lugs or pins 38 which project outward from the ends of the receptacle 36. Spring retaining members 39 mounted on respective frame plates 30 and 31 are provided to removably retain the receptacle in position in the applicator frame.

The sponge-like member is of a type which may be thoroughly saturated with a liquid ink repellent and which, when so saturated, will store a considerable amount of liquid so as to enable the liquid to be repeatedly transferred to the surface of a printing plate 18 by an absorbent surfaced transfer member 40 Without requiring frequent replenishing of the liquid supply. The transfer member 40 comprises an elongated substantial- 1y non-absorbent body 41 covered with an outer layer 42 of absorbent material. The ends of the body 41 are mounted in the upper ends of a pair of spaced arms 43 and 44, the lower ends of which are pivoted for movement about the axis of a supporting rod 45 which is journaled in the side plates 30 and 31.

The transfer member 40 is swingable from it's normal position, in which it is in contact with the sponge-like member 35, as shown in full lines in the drawings, into wiping contact with the surface of the rotating printing plate, as indicated by broken lines in the drawings. The member 40 is retained in its normal position by a spring 47 encircling the rod 45 and having one end secured to a collar 48 fixed to the rod and its other end secured to the adjacent side plate 30 as at 49.

The transfer member 40 is manually swung into operating contact with the printing plate 18 by the manipulation of a hand lever or rod 50. One end of this rod, as shown in Fig. 1, is pivoted to the exterior of the side plate 30 as at 51. A disc 52 is slidably mounted for movement axially of the rod and is provided with a pin 53 which engages an arm 54 drivingly secured to the rod 45 (Figs; 1 and 2 The rocking movement of the hand lever or rod 50 is transmitted to the rod 45 l and to the arms 43 and 44 which are drivingly secured to the latter rod as will be hereinafter more fully described. The driving connection between the rod 50 and the arm 54 and the pivotal connections of the rods 50 and 45 with the end plates 30 and 31 are so related one to the other that the angular travel of the arms 43 and 44 about the axis of the rod 45 is much greater than the angular travel of the hand lever or rod 45 about its pivotal connection 51 with the side plate 30.

When not in use the absorbent transfer member 40 may be held out of contact with the supply member or sponge 35 by a manually operable cam as indicated in Fig. 3. The cam 60 is rotatably mounted in the side plate 30 and is provided with a manually operable handle 61 (Fig. 1).

The pressure of the transfer member 40 against the printing plate may be limited by an adjustable member such as for instance the adjusting screw 62 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The screw 62 is threadingly mounted in a lug 63 carried by the adjacent arm 43 and is arranged to engage the side plate 30 as such arm is swung to a plate contacting position, indicated in the broken lines in Fig. 1.

The transfer member 40 may be retained in a position adjacent the printing. plate and remote from the sponge-like liquid supply member 35, to facilitate inspection of or replacement of the latter. A manually operable plunger 65 is mounted on the end plate 30 and is normally retained in a withdrawn position out of the path of the arm 43 by a spring 66. The plunger 65 may be so mounted as to be moved axially against the action of the spring 66 and projected into the return path of the arm 43. When in its projected position, the engagement of an enlarged head 67, formed on the inner end of the plunger, with the inner face of the arm 43, prevents return of the plunger until it is manually released by pressure exerted upon the handle 50 moving the transfer member 40 toward the printing plate 18, whereupon the head 67 will clear the arm 43 allowing the spring to return the plunger to its inactive position out of the path of such arm.

It is to be noted that the sponge-like member 35 is substantially rectangular in cross section and that the core 41 of the transfer member 40 is hexagonal in section and is covered by a removable absorbent member 42, which, because of its uniform thickness, is hexagonal in cross sectional contour when in place on the core. The arrangement of the parts is such that when the transfer member 40 is in its normal position one of the hexagonal sides 70, for instance, the side 70-A is parallel with and in contact with one face of the rectangular supply member 35.

One of the features of the present invention is the fact that the same area of the transfer member 40 which contacts the supply member 35 is the area which is brought into contact with the printing plate when the transfer member is swung into itsplate contacting position. In the embodiment illustrated this is accomplished by mounting the transfer member in its supporting arms 43 and 44 for rotation about its own axis and by positively rotating such member a predetermined amount at it is swung into plate contacting position so that the surface 70-A will be substantially tangential to the printing plate when such position is reached. 7

The rotation of the transfer member 40 about its axis is accomplished by means of a train of gears 80, 81 and 82. The gear is mounted on the arm 44 for rotation about the axis of the transfer member 40, and is drivingly connected with such member as will be hereinafter more fully described. The gear 82 is mounted on the rod 45in the same vertical plane as the gear 80 and is constrained against rotation relative to the side frame plate 31 as will hereinafter become more apparent. The gear 81 is rotatably mounted on the arm 44 intermediate and in engagement with the gears 80 and 82. Accordingly, rotation of the rod 45 in response to the operation of the hand lever 50 will rotate the transfer member 40 about its own'axis. The ratio of the gears 80, 81 and 82 is such that when the transfer member 40 is in contact with the printing plate, the surface 70-A will have been so positioned as to become the plate contacting surface of the transfer member.

Repeated contact of the surface 70A with the printing plate may result in the transfer of ink from the plate to said surface. When the ink accumulation on the transfer member 40 is such that it might decrease the effectiveness of the applicator the member 40 may be moved to bring another of the hexagonal surfaces of the transfer member into contacting position. To this end, the left hand end (Fig. 2) of the base 41 of the transfer member 40 is provided with an axially projecting pin 85 which is rotatably and removably journalled in a suitable opening formed in'the adjacent supporting arm 43. The right hand end of the transfer member base 41 is provided with a series of openings 86 spaced equi-distant from its axis and arranged to slidably engage studs 87 carried by the gear 80. The arrangement is such that the arm 44 may be moved axially, relative to the axis of the transfer member and therod 45, toward the adjacent end plate 31 to disengage the. studs 87 from the applicator base 41,

whereupon the transfer member 40 may be rotated to substitute another of the surfaces 70 for the surface 70-A as, for instance, the surface 70-B, and the arm returned to its normal position causing the studs 87 to reengage the applicator base. When the arm 44 is in its extreme right hand position the transfer member 40 may be entirely removed from the supporting arm 43 to facilitate either its replacement or the replacement of its absorbent cover 42.

The axial or sliding movement of the arm 44 is provided for by securing the arm to the outer end of the sleeve 90 (Fig. slidably mounted on the rod 45 between a fixed collar 91, secured to the rod, and the adjacent side plate 31. A spring 92 encircling the rod between the side plate 31 and the adjacent end of the sleeve 90 normally retains the sleeve against the collar thus retaining the studs 87 in engagement with the transfer member 40.

The driving connection between the arm 44 and the rod 45 is established through the medium of an arm 95 secured to the collar 91 and carrying a pin or stud 96 which engages a suitable opening formed in an arm 97 rotatably mounted on the sleeve 90. The arm 97 is drivingly secured to the arm 44 by a spacer 98 as shown in Fig. 11.

The pin 96 is of sufficient length to permit such axial movement of the sleeve 90 as is required to release the transfer member as heretofore described.

The transfer member 40 may be adjusted to accurately axially align one of its contacting faces 70 axially with the surface of the printing plate 18 and the axis of the plate cylinder 17. To this end the portion 99 of the pin 96 which engages the driving arm 97 is eccentric relative to theportion of such pin secured to the arm 95. A suitable nut is provided to clamp the pin to the arm 95. The opening in the arm 97 which receives the eccentric portion 99 of the pin 96 is preferably elongated radially relative to the rod to prevent any binding action therebetween.

The position of the flat contacting face 70 of the transfer member may be adjusted to position such face tangentially relative to the printing plate 18 carried by the cylinder 17. As illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 the gear 82 is rotatably mounted on the sleeve 90 between the arm 44, which is fixed to the sleeve, and a plate 101 which is rotatably on the sleeve 90 but which is con-- strained against rotary movement about the axis of the rod 45 by a pin 165 carried by the side plate 31 and projecting through a suitable opening formed in the plate. The gear 82 is adjustably secured to the plate 101 by a clamping bolt 106 which is threaded in the gear and passes through an arcuate slot 107 formed in the plate (Fig. 2).

The applicator of the present invention is well adapted for use in planographic duplicating systems using flexible planographic printing plates removably mounted on a rotary printing machine and from which relatively few copies are to be made, such as occurs in so called systems operations used in modern business establishments. The ease of operation of the improved applicator together with the extreme uniformity of the coatings resulting from its use permit it to be used as the sole source repellent supply where but a few copies are to be made.

We claim:

1. A material applicator for a printing machine having a rotary printing drum carrying a master planographic printing plate on its periphery, said applicator including apairof spaced frame members, a trough extending between said frame members, a stationary yielding absorbent block in the trough having a flat face adapted to be charged with an ink repellent solution, a transfer member mounted for movement between said absorbent block and the master printing plate on the drum, said transfer member having a pair of comparatively flat absorbent surfaces, resilient means normally acting to present one of said flat surfaces to said absorbent block substantially throughout the length of the transfer member, manually operable means to move said transfer member from contact with the stationary block into contact with the printing plate, and means responsive to said movement to cause said last-named fiat surface to move into position to engage the surface of the printing plate and to retain said surface stationary as long as it is in contact with the plate.

2. A material applicator for a rotary printing machine having a rotating drum carrying a printing plate on its periphery, said applicator including a pair of spaced frame plates adapted to be mounted on said printing machine, a trough extending between said frame plates, an absorbent block in said trough adapted to receive and store a supply of ink repellent liquid, a swingable frame mounted between said frame plates, a hexagonal substantially non-absorbent body rotatably mounted on said frame for rotation about its axis and positioned between the block and the drum and normally spaced from the drum, an absorbent covering for the body, means for hold ing said body immovable relative to the frame when in contact with either the printing plate or said block and means responsive to the movement of said swingable frame to rotate said body about its axis and relative to said frame a predetermined amount to cause the same surface of the printing plateto contact the block and plate.

3. In a rotary planographic printing machine, the combination of a rotary drum having master printing plate on its periphery, a liquid storage member spaced from the printing plate, an elongated liquid transfer member including an elongated movable ductor member having an absorbent face mounted to swing from contact with the storage member into contact with the printing plate, and means responsive to said swinging movement to rotate said ductor and cause the same area which contacts the storage member to contact the printing plate and to retain said transfer member fixed against rotation as long as it is in contact with the printing plate or said supply member, said last-named means comprising a relatively stationary gear having its axis coincident with the pivotal axis of said arms and a gear drivingly connected with said first named gear and with said transfer member.

4. A material applicator for a printing machine having a frame in which a printing drum having a printing plate thereon is mounted, said applicator including a pair of spaced frame plates adapted to be secured to the respective frame plates of the printing machine, a container to store liquid, an absorbent yielding block stationarily mounted in said container and having a flat face, said block being positioned at a point remote from said printing cylinder, a swingable member including a pair of axially spaced arms disposed between said frame members and swingable relative thereto, a polygonal body rotatably mounted in said arms and having an absorbent covering one face of which is adapted to lie against the fiat face of the block in one position of the swinging frame, and gear means carried by said swingable member to rotate said body in said frame consequent upon the swinging movement of said frame to cause said face to engage the master plate in another position of the swingable member, said last named means including a gear fixed against rotation relative to said frame plates and spaced from the axis of said body, and a second gear mounted on one of said arms and drivingly connected with the first named gear and with said body.

5. A material applicator for a printing machine having a frame and a rotary printing drum supported thereby and carrying a master printing plate on its periphery, said applicator including a trough carried by said frame and spaced outward from the periphery of said drum and substantially parallel therewith, a stationary absorbent block in said trough and having a flat face adapted to be charged with an ink repellent solution and spaced from the periphery of said drum, a pair of spaced arms each having one end mounted on said frame for swinging movement about a common axis parallel with said drum, an elongated polygonal body having a liquid absorbent surface supported by and between the other ends of said arms for rotation aboutits axis, said arms being oscillatable about their pivots to move said body from contact with said block into contact with the periphery of said drum and to return it to contact with said block, and means responsive to said swinging movement to rotate said member about its axis and relative to said arms.

6. A material applicator according to claim 4, wherein a rod is journaled in said frame plates, said arms being supported by said rod, resilient means to normally retain said body in contact with said block,- one of said arms being disengageable from said body by axial movement of said arm, and resilient means normally acting to retain said last-mentioned arm in contact with said body.

7. A material applicator according to claim 4, having means to adjust the angular position of said first named gear relative to said frame to thereby adjust the position of said body about its axis and relative to the periphery of the printing plate. 7

8. A material applicator according to claim 4, wherein one of said arms is drivingly secured to said rod, the other arm being rotatably mounted for movement about the axis of the rod, a member drivingly secured to said rod, means interconnecting the member with said arm to cause the arm to rotate as a unit with said rod and said lastnamed means being adjustable to thereby adjust the angular position of said arm relative to said rod.

9. A material applicator for a rotary planographic printing machine having a frame in which a master printing drum carrying a planographic printing plate on its periphery is mounted, said applicator including a frame adapted to be secured to the printing machine, a storage member for liquid ink repellent mounted on said applicator frame and spaced from the printing cylinder and including a liquid absorbent member having a substantially flat face, a rod journaled in said applicator frame and spaced from said storage member, a pair of spaced arms carried by said rod, a transfer member disposed between and rotatably supported by the outer ends of said arms and having an absorbent cover provided with a plurality of flat faces, said member being normally positioned with one of said fiat faces in contact with the flat face of storage member, resilient means normally acting to maintain such contact, one of said arms being fixed to said rod, the other of said arms being slidably axially and rotatable relative to said rod, a gear secured to said arm last mentioned and a separable driving connection between said gear and said transfer member whereby said driving connection may be separated and said transfer member rotated to position any one of its faces to contact with said storage member, resilient means acting to normally retain said driving connection active, a gear mounted on said rod for rotation relative thereto, means interposed between said gear and said applicator frame to prevent relative rotation there between, a third gear carried by said last-mentioned arm in driving engagement with said other gears, a lever drivingly connected to said rod, a second lever rotatably mounted on said rod and drivingly connected with said last-mentioned arm and an adjustable driving connection between said levers, a manually operable lever pivotally mounted on said applicator frame, and a driving connection between said last-named lever and said rod.

10. A material applicator for a rotary planographic printing machine having a frame in which a master printing drum carrying a planographic printing plate on its periphery is mounted, said applicator including a frame adapted to be secured to the printing machine, a storage member for liquid ink repellent mounted on said applicator frame and spaced from the printing cylinder and including a liquid absorbent member having a substan-' tially flat face, a rod journaled in said applicator frame and spaced from said storage member, a pair of spaced arms carried by said rod, a transfer member disposed between and rotatably supported by the outer ends of said arms and having an absorbent cover provided with a flat face, said member being normally positioned with its flat face in contact with the flat face of said storage member, resilient means normally acting to maintain such contact, said arms being drivingly fixed to said rod, a gear secured to said last-mentioned arm, a driving connection between said gear and said transfer member, a gear mounted for rotation about the axis of said rod and relative thereto, means to adjustably fix said gear against rotation relative to said applicator frame, a driving connection between said gears, a manually operable lever pivotally mounted on said applicator frame, and a driving connection between said last-named lever and said rod.

11. A materialapplicator for a rotary planogr-aphic printing machine having a frame in which a master printing drum carrying a planographic printing plate on its periphery is mounted, said applicator including a frame adapted to be secured to the printing machine frame, a storage member for liquid ink repellent mounted on said applicator frame and spaced from the printing cylinder and including a liquid absorbent member having a substantially flat face, a rod journaled in said applicator frame and spaced from said storage member, a pair of spaced arms carried by said rod, a transfer member disposed between and rotatably supported by the outer ends of said arms and having an absorbent cover provided with a plurality of fiat faces, said body being positioned so that one of said flat faces may contact the flat face of said storage member, resilient means normally acting to move said rod to maintain such contact, one of said arms being fixed to said rod, the other of said arms being mounted on a sleeve slidably axially and rotatable relative to said rod, a gear secured to said last- ,entioned arm, a separable driving connection between said gcar and said transfer member whereby said transfer member may be rotated to position any one of its faces in contact with said storage member, resilient means acting on said sleeve to normally retain said driving connection active, a gear mounted on said sleeve for rotation relative thereto, a disc rotatably mounted on said sleeve, means to adjustably clamp said gear and disc together, means interposed between said disc and said applicator frame to prevent relative rotation therebetween, means drivingly connecting said gears, a lever drivingly connected to said rod, a second lever rotatably mounted on said sleeve and drivingly connected with said last-mentioned arm and an adjustable driving connection between said levers, a manually operable lever pivotally mounted on said applicator frame, and .a driving connection between said last-named lever and said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 908,673 Hume Jan. 5, 1909 2,282,737 Mills May 12, 1942 2,421,824 Allen et a1. June 10, 1947 2,443,458 Janke June 15, 1948 2,660,113 Gullixson et al. Nov. 24, 1953 UNITEQ STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,798,426 July 9, I957 Eriwajrd Jr Janka et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of th'e' above numbered'patent requiring correction and that the eaid Letters .Patentehould read as corrected below.

Column 6, line 26, for- "the printing plate" read said body Signed and sealed this: lf th day of September 1959.

(SEAL) Anew KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Oflicer Commissioner of Patents 

